Randy's Donuts

Randy's Donuts is a donut shop chain originated in the United States, and it is known for a colossal donut sign atop its original building located in Inglewood, California near Los Angeles International Airport, which is considered as "one of Los Angeles’ most iconic landmarks".<ref name="laconservancy">Template:Cite web</ref>

The original 24-hour drive-in is at 805 West Manchester Boulevard and it intersects with La Cienega Boulevard. It is near the Manchester Boulevard off-ramp of the San Diego Freeway (I-405).<ref name="usatoday2015_06_23" />

History

In the late 1940s, donut machine salesman Russell Wendell founded a chain of drive-in donut shops named Big Donut. The first location opened in 1951 in Westmont. The second location, which is now a Randy's Donuts, was opened in 1952.<ref name="latimes2009_08_30">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1976, after shifting focus to his Pup 'N' Taco chain (bought by Taco Bell in 1984), Wendell sold the Big Donut Inglewood location to Robert Eskow who renamed the location "Randy's Donuts" after his son. In 1978, Eskow sold the shop to Ron and Larry Weintraub, who decided to retain the name for the business.<ref name="latimes2009_08_30" />

In 2015, Randy's Donuts was purchased by lawyer and entrepreneur Mark Kelegian.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since that time, the brand has added franchise locations in Southern California,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Las Vegas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Phoenix;<ref name="azcentral">Template:Cite web</ref> as well as locations outside of the United States such as South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Japan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Randy's Donuts opened a location at Los Angeles International Airport in 2023<ref name="Harden">Template:Cite news</ref> and in the NoHo Arts District in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Architecture

The original building was designed by Henry J. Goodwin. Bradshaw, who worked as the civil engineer on the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport, is said to have designed the giant donut on the roof according to the Los Angeles Conservancy.<ref name="laconservancy" /> The rooftop donut is constructed out of rolled steel bars covered with gunite.<ref name="laconservancy" /> Template:Citation needed span Randy's is represented by a giant donut on the roof of an otherwise ordinary a Mid-century modern drive-up food stand<ref name="laconservancy" /> that is a dedicated donut bakery. It is not, however, technically a programmatic architectural building since the building itself does not look like the item it sells.<ref name="laconservancy" /> Still, the Los Angeles Conservancy looked "the other way" and designated Randy's Donuts as a programmatic architectural building since "the donut on its roof is just so large, so uncompromising, so demanding of our attention".<ref name="laconservancy" />

Donut signs

Template:Citation needed span When it opened a franchise shop in Shibuya, Tokyo, a donut sign about Template:Convert diameter was installed in front of the shop on the ground.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gallery

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  The Randy's Donuts sign alongside Space Shuttle Endeavour as it is ferried through the streets of Los Angeles on Friday, October 12, 2012.
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  Actor and comedian Jimmie Walker with brothers Ron and Larry Weintraub, 2013
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  Randy's Donuts can be seen from airplanes landing at LAX (left of the foreground bridge over the freeway at Manchester Boulevard).
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  A miniature version of the Randy's Donuts sign at its LAX location.
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  Randy's Donuts at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila
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  The donut flavors offered at Randy's Donuts in the Philippines

Popular culture

In the 2010 film, Iron Man 2, Tony Stark while wearing the Iron Man armor, eats a box of Randy's donuts while sitting inside the large Randy's Donuts sign.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref name="yardbarker">Template:Cite web</ref> It apperared in other various movies such as Logorama, 2012, Crocodile Dundee, Get Shorty, Earth Girls Are Easy, Dope, The Golden Child; as well as Showtime's Californication<ref name="usatoday2015_06_23">Template:Cite web</ref> and Futurama.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="BakeMag">Template:Cite web</ref> Randy's Donuts also appears in Justin Timberlake's music video "Can't Stop the Feeling!".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The building was shown in the Masked Rider episode "Ferbus Maximus" where an overgrown Ferbus takes the giant donut and tries to eat it. A small replica of the donut was made for the episode.

See also

• List of doughnut shops
• The Donut Hole
• Big donuts of Southern California

External links

• Template:Official website with additional photos